Page 16 - Catholic Extension Magazine - Spring 2016

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The Pope at the Border
Yards from the U.S.-Mexico border fence, Pope Francis prays for migrants.
Two nations, one faith
Pope Francis comes to the U.S.-Mexico border
On February 17, capping his six-day visit to Mexico, Pope Francis came to the U.S.-Mexi-
co border in Juárez, Mexico, across the Rio Grande river from El Paso, Texas. Before celebrating Mass, the pope walked up a ramp next to the border fence toward a large cross on a platform overlooking the river. He prayed silently and laid owers at the foot of the cross to commemorate those who have died trying to cross the border.
en the pope turned and blessed a group of 600 faithful assembled on a levee on the U.S. side. e majority of the group was made up of migrants, refugees, workers, survivors of violence, detained unaccompanied children and poor people from El Paso’s colonias. e Diocese of El Paso called them “Pope Francis VIPs.”
e subsequent papal Mass was simulcast to the nearby Sun Bowl of the University of Texas at El Paso, where some 30,000 people had gathered. e event, called “Two Nations, One Faith,” includ- ed a musical and cultural program.
Catholic Extension’s president Father Jack Wall spoke at the
event. He prayed for the protection of “today’s vulnerable people”
by Our Lady of Guadalupe and blessed those assembled with holy water gathered from the Rio Grande and previously blessed by Pope Francis. He elicited a delight- ed roar from the crowd when he concluded with the Spanish chant “¡Francisco, hermano, ya eres un tejano” (Brother Francis, you are
a Texan!) a playful twist on the chant (... ya eres mexicano) heard
LEFT At the Sun Bowl, Father Jack Wall thanked El Pasoans “for all that you do on this border to live our Catholic faith and to serve the poor.”
LEFT BELOW 30,000 a ended the “Two Nations, One Faith” event sponsored by Catholic Extension.
throughout the pope’s visit to Mexico.
During the Mass, Pope Francis blessed all who had gathered in the El Paso stadium. “ anks to the help of technology, we can pray, sing and celebrate together this merciful love which the Lord gives us
and which no frontier can prevent us from sharing,” the pope said to loud cheers.
Catholic Extension provided event planning and fundraising assistance to the Diocese of El Paso and served as a major sponsor of the events. For 110 years Catholic Extension has partnered with the diocese and has provided assis- tance to the U.S. dioceses along
the border totaling more than $122 million in today’s money.